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Frank Stefani

Publications and source records attributed to Frank Stefani.

90 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
arXiv2007

The spherically symmetric alpha2-dynamo and some of its spectral peculiarities

A brief overview is given over recent results on the spectral properties of spherically symmetric MHD alpha2-dynamos. In particular, the spectra of sphere-confined fluid or plasma configurations with physically realistic boundary conditions (BCs) (surrounding vacuum) and with idealized BCs (super-conducting surrounding) are discussed. The subjects comprise third-order branch points of the spectrum, self-adjointness of the dynamo operator in a Krein space as well as the resonant unfolding of diabolical points. It is sketched how certain classes of dynamos with a strongly localized alpha-profile embedded in a conducting surrounding can be mode decoupled by a diagonalization of the dynamo operator matrix. A mapping of the dynamo eigenvalue problem to that of a quantum mechanical Hamiltonian with energy dependent potential is used to obtain qualitative information about the spectral behavior. Links to supersymmetric Quantum Mechanics and to the Dirac equation are indicated.

math-ph↗
arXiv2007

Reversals in nature and the nature of reversals

The asymmetric shape of reversals of the Earth's magnetic field indicates a possible connection with relaxation oscillations as they were early discussed by van der Pol. A simple mean-field dynamo model with a spherically symmetric $α$ coefficient is analysed with view on this similarity, and a comparison of the time series and the phase space trajectories with those of paleomagnetic measurements is carried out. For highly supercritical dynamos a very good agreement with the data is achieved. Deviations of numerical reversal sequences from Poisson statistics are analysed and compared with paleomagnetic data. The role of the inner core is discussed in a spectral theoretical context and arguments and numerical evidence is compiled that the growth of the inner core might be important for the long term changes of the reversal rate and the occurrence of superchrons.

physics.geo-ph↗
arXiv2007

Experiments on the magnetorotational instability in helical magnetic fields

The magnetorotational instability (MRI) plays a key role in the formation of stars and black holes, by enabling outward angular momentum transport in accretion disks. The use of combined axial and azimuthal magnetic fields allows the investigation of this effect in liquid metal flows at moderate Reynolds and Hartmann numbers. A variety of experimental results is presented showing evidence for the occurrence of the MRI in a Taylor-Couette flow using the liquid metal alloy GaInSn.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2006

The traveling wave MRI in cylindrical Taylor-Couette flow: comparing wavelengths and speeds in theory and experiment

We study experimentally the flow of a liquid metal confined between differentially rotating cylinders, in the presence of externally imposed axial and azimuthal magnetic fields. For increasingly large azimuthal fields a wave-like disturbance arises, traveling along the axis of the cylinders. The wavelengths and speeds of these structures, as well as the field strengths and rotation rates at which they arise, are broadly consistent with theoretical predictions of such a traveling wave magnetorotational instability.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2006

Experimental evidence for magnetorotational instability in a helical magnetic field

A recent paper [R. Hollerbach and G. Rudiger, Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 124501 (2005)] has shown that the threshold for the onset of the magnetorotational instability (MRI) in a Taylor-Couette flow is dramatically reduced if both axial and azimuthal magnetic fields are imposed. In agreement with this prediction, we present results of a Taylor-Couette experiment with the liquid metal alloy GaInSn, showing evidence for the existence of the MRI at Reynolds numbers of order 1000 and Hartmann numbers of order 10.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2005

Why dynamos are prone to reversals

In a recent paper (Phys. Rev. Lett. 94 (2005), 184506; physics/0411050) it was shown that a simple mean-field dynamo model with a spherically symmetric helical turbulence parameter alpha can exhibit a number of features which are typical for Earth's magnetic field reversals. In particular, the model produces asymmetric reversals, a positive correlation of field strength and interval length, and a bimodal field distribution. All these features are attributable to the magnetic field dynamics in the vicinity of an exceptional point of the spectrum of the non-selfadjoint dynamo operator. The negative slope of the growth rate curve between the nearby local maximum and the exceptional point makes the system unstable and drives it to the exceptional point and beyond into the oscillatory branch where the sign change happens. A weakness of this reversal model is the apparent necessity to fine-tune the magnetic Reynolds number and/or the radial profile of alpha. In the present paper, it is shown that this fine-tuning is not necessary in the case of higher supercriticality of the dynamo. Numerical examples and physical arguments are compiled to show that, with increasing magnetic Reynolds number, there is strong tendency for the exceptional point and the associated local maximum to move close to the zero growth rate line. Although exemplified again by the spherically symmetric alpha^2 dynamo model, the main idea of this ''self-tuning'' mechanism of saturated dynamos into a reversal-prone state seems well transferable to other dynamos. As a consequence, reversing dynamos might be much more typical and may occur much more frequently in nature than what could be expected from a purely kinematic perspective.

physics.geo-ph↗
arXiv2005

Third order spectral branch points in Krein space related setups: PT-symmetric matrix toy model, MHD alpha^2-dynamo, and extended Squire equation

The spectra of self-adjoint operators in Krein spaces are known to possess real sectors as well as sectors of pair-wise complex conjugate eigenvalues. Transitions from one spectral sector to the other are a rather generic feature and they usually occur at exceptional points of square root branching type. For certain parameter configurations two or more such exceptional points may happen to coalesce and to form a higher order branch point. We study the coalescence of two square root branch points semi-analytically for a PT-symmetric 4x4 matrix toy model and illustrate numerically its occurrence in the spectrum of the 2x2 operator matrix of the magnetohydrodynamic alpha^2-dynamo and of an extended version of the hydrodynamic Squire equation.

math-ph↗
arXiv2005

MHD alpha^2-dynamo, Squire equation and PT-symmetric interpolation between square well and harmonic oscillator

It is shown that the alpha^2-dynamo of Magnetohydrodynamics, the hydrodynamic Squire equation as well as an interpolation model of PT-symmetric Quantum Mechanics are closely related as spectral problems in Krein spaces. For the alpha^2-dynamo and the PT-symmetric model the strong similarities are demonstrated with the help of a 2x2 operator matrix representation, whereas the Squire equation is re-interpreted as a rescaled and Wick-rotated PT-symmetric problem. Based on recent results on the Squire equation the spectrum of the PT-symmetric interpolation model is analyzed in detail and the Herbst limit is described as spectral singularity.

math-ph↗
arXiv2004

Asymmetric polarity reversals, bimodal field distribution, and coherence resonance in a spherically symmetric mean-field dynamo model

Using a mean-field dynamo model with a spherically symmetric helical turbulence parameter alpha which is dynamically quenched and disturbed by additional noise, the basic features of geomagnetic polarity reversals are shown to be generic consequences of the dynamo action in the vicinity of exceptional points of the spectrum. This simple paradigmatic model yields long periods of constant polarity which are interrupted by self-accelerating field decays leading to asymmetric polarity reversals. It shows the recently discovered bimodal field distribution, and it gives a natural explanation of the correlation between polarity persistence time and field strength. In addition, we find typical features of coherence resonance in the dependence of the persistence time on the noise.

physics.geo-ph↗
arXiv2004

Contactless inductive flow tomography

The three-dimensional velocity field of a propeller driven liquid metal flow is reconstructed by a contactless inductive flow tomography (CIFT). The underlying theory is presented within the framework of an integral equation system that governs the magnetic field distribution in a moving electrically conducting fluid. For small magnetic Reynolds numbers this integral equation system can be cast into a linear inverse problem for the determination of the velocity field from externally measured magnetic fields. A robust reconstruction of the large scale velocity field is already achieved by applying the external magnetic field alternately in two orthogonal directions and measuring the corresponding sets of induced magnetic fields. Kelvin's theorem is exploited to regularize the resulting velocity field by using the kinetic energy of the flow as a regularizing functional. The results of the new technique are shown to be in satisfactory agreement with ultrasonic measurements.

physics.flu-dyn↗
arXiv2003

Inverse Problems in Magnetohydrodynamics: Theoretical and Experimental Aspects

We consider inverse problems related to the velocity reconstruction in electrically conducting fluids from externally measured magnetic fields. The underlying theory is presented in the framework of the integral equation approach to homogeneous dynamos in finite domains, which can be cast into a linear inverse problem in case that the magnetic Reynolds number is not too large. Some mathematical problems of the inversion, including the uniqueness problem in the sphere and a paradigmatic isospectrality problem for mean-field dynamos, are touched upon. For practical purposes, the inversion is carried out with the help of Tikhonov regularization using a quadratic functional of the velocity field as penalty function. For the first time, we present results of an experiment in which the three-dimensional velocity field of a propellor driven flow in a liquid metal is reconstructed by a contactless inductive measuring technique.

physics.flu-dyn↗
arXiv2003

An integral equation approach to time-dependent kinematic dynamos in finite domains

The homogeneous dynamo effect is at the root of cosmic magnetic field generation. With only a very few exceptions, the numerical treatment of homogeneous dynamos is carried out in the framework of the differential equation approach. The present paper tries to facilitate the use of integral equations in dynamo research. Apart from the pedagogical value to illustrate dynamo action within the well-known picture of Biot-Savart's law, the integral equation approach has a number of practical advantages. The first advantage is its proven numerical robustness and stability. The second and perhaps most important advantage is its applicability to dynamos in arbitrary geometries. The third advantage is its intimate connection to inverse problems relevant not only for dynamos but also for technical applications of magnetohydrodynamics. The paper provides the first general formulation and application of the integral equation approach to time-dependent kinematic dynamos in finite domains. For the spherically symmetric alpha^2 dynamo model it is shown how the general formulation is reduced to a coupled system of two radial integral equations for the defining scalars of the poloidal and the toroidal field components. The integral equation formulation for spherical dynamos with general velocity fields is also derived. Two numerical examples, the alpha^2 dynamo model with radially varying alpha, and the Bullard-Gellman model illustrate the equivalence of the approach with the usual differential equation method.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2002

Oscillatory mean-field dynamos with spherically symmetric, isotropic alpha

Until recently, the existence of oscillatory mean-field dynamos of the alpha^2-type with spherically symmetric and isotropic alpha was an open question. We find such dynamos by means of an evolutionary strategy, and we illustrate the spectral properties of the corresponding dynamo operators.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2000

Magnetic Field Saturation in the Riga Dynamo Experiment

After the dynamo experiment in November 1999 had shown magnetic field self-excitation in a spiraling liquid metal flow, in a second series of experiments emphasis was placed on the magnetic field saturation regime as the next principal step in the dynamo process. The dependence of the strength of the magnetic field on the rotation rate is studied. Various features of the saturated magnetic field are outlined and possible saturation mechanisms are discussed.

physics.flu-dyn↗
arXiv2000

Can we look inside a dynamo?

For a simple spherically symmetric mean-field dynamo model we investigate the possibility of determining the radial dependence of the coefficient $α$. Growth rates for different magnetic field modes are assumed to be known by measurement. An evolutionary strategy (ES) is used for the solution of the inverse problem. Numerically, we find quite different $α$-profiles giving nearly the same eigenvalues. The ES is also applied to find functions $α(r)$ yielding zero growth rates for the lowest four magnetic field modes. Additionally, a slight modification of the ES is utilized for an ''energetic'' optimization of $α^2$-dynamos. The consequences of our findings for inverse dynamo theory and for the design of future dynamo experiments are discussed.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2000

Steady dynamos in finite domains: an integral equation approach

The paper deals with the integral equation approach to steady kinematic dynamo models in finite domains based on Biot-Savart's law. The role of the electric potential at the boundary is worked out explicitly. As an example, a modified version of the simple spherical $α$-effect dynamo model proposed by Krause and Steenbeck is considered in which the $α$-coefficient is no longer constant but may vary with the radial coordinate. In particular, the results for the original model are re-derived. Possible applications of this integral equation approach for numerical simulations of dynamos in arbitrary geometry and for an ''inverse dynamo theory'' are sketched.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1999

Detection of a flow induced magnetic field eigenmode in the Riga dynamo facility

In an experiment at the Riga sodium dynamo facility, a slowly growing magnetic field eigenmode has been detected over a period of about 15 seconds. For a slightly decreased propeller rotation rate, additional measurements showed a slow decay of this mode. The measured results correspond satisfactory with numerical predictions for the growth rates and frequencies.

physics.flu-dyn↗